A Heart and A Conscience
by usmccanthem
Summary: What would happen if Odysseus gained a conscience and showed a little love toward his family? This is where Odysseus has just killed Antinoos, and it changes from the original. He's willing to show a little reason instead of slaughtering the suitors like a madman. Please enjoy! R


**(Obviously I cannot own this as it was made way _way_ back in the day)**

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**A Heart and A Conscience**

'_Stranger, it is badly done to hit men. You will never_

_achieve any more trials. Now your sudden destruction is certain_

_for now you have struck down the man who was far the greatest_

_of the youth of Ithaka. For that the vulture shall eat you.' _

(Homer, Odyssey; 322, book XXI, lines 27-30)

The Great Odysseus just shook his head. _Even with my show of skill, they do not realize who I am. _Odysseus thought to himself. _Very well, I shall tell them._

Odysseus scanned the crowd of outraged suitors, more than one hundred men, young and old, all with the aristocratic features and long hair tied back to show their rank. The older crowd held warriors, like Antinoos, scarred from their battles, hard with muscles, and had twitching for a spear or sword. He was thankful that the weapons had been cleared from the hall, for those warriors would be hard to beat if he was to siege them on his own. The younger men of the crowd had pushed aside the ladies they had partaken with, bold and daring, but reckless; they stood with ignorant pride, unknowing of war and hardship.

Looking at them all, Odysseus felt a tingle of something he had forgotten: guilt. He was going to slaughter these men like the cattle they had harvested over the years he had been away. Do they deserve it?

'_Yes they do.' _The voice of revenge called to him, wanting the blood and glory that he had acclimated to over the past two decades; killing the Trojans, blinding the Cyclops and so much more.

'_Why do they deserve it?' _A cool female voice spoke reason, sounding remarkably like Athene. _'You know of the plot against your son, but they acted in a way very much like you did in the war. Sneaking around to eliminate the threat, like you and the other Greeks did with the Trojan Horse.'_

When he felt himself swaying toward the reasonable voice, the voice of revenge, gritty and angry spoke up. '_Yes, yes. It is all fine and good to say you are both sneaky, but they have been eating away your stores, treating your only son and heir like rubbage and are trying to steal away your wife!'_

"Well, what do you have to say for yourself, stranger?" A older suitor called to the obviously conflicted man.

Odysseus' eyes blazed with fire, "ME?" He roared at the top of his lungs, causing many of the men to flinch at the volume. "What do I have to say? What about you? You who have taken advantage of guest right and have been trying to force MY wife into marriage; what do you have to say?" By this point he was spitting in rage, arms flying around to encompass the entire hall of suitors.

"What do you mean, 'YOUR' wife?" A young suitor sneered cockily. He strutted up to Odysseus and smirked at the cleaned up beggar. "Penelope is Odysseus' wife, not yours, you stupid beggar!" A rally cry from the suitors showed their support for the young man.

SMACK, went Odysseus' hand across the younger mans proud face. He towered over the suitor and then turned to look over at everyone else. His desire for blood gained, but he quelled it, looking around at the men assembled. "Are you all such idiots as to believe a common beggar would be able to pull the string of the Great Odysseus' bow? Did you really think that two decades away and a storm would keep I, Odysseus, the man of many ways, away from my beautiful wife Penelope and the thoughtful Telemachos." Odysseus placed a hand on the shoulder of his son. He had been away for many years, and he despaired that he had not been able to take care of him and teach Telemachos the ways of the warrior. However, he had learned a thing or two that made Odysseus proud.

Telemachos knew that this way a queue, and the prideful look in his father's eye gave him the same confidence to stand against the suitors as Athene had. "I can vouch for his claim." He stood beside his father, and clapped him on the back. "I've been told many times over the years that I resemble my father, in body, mind and soul." All the suitors saw the beggar shift, his features changing to ones of great wisdom, body filling out and eyes calculating. Now as they stood side by side, no one could deny the resemblance between the two. He had to be Telemachos' father. Telemachos was a bit shocked by the change, as he hadn't seen the shift so clearly before, but kept his features schooled so as to not project anything. "He is my father, the father I had left this place to find and to learn about. I learned many things about him from his friends and allies." He let this statement sink in to the suitors. Their once confident faces now betrayed hints of fear. Smirking to his father, he stepped from under his hand and in a grand gesture declared; "Here stands the Great Odysseus, son of Laertes!"

"Oh no," one of the suitors muttered, his voice echoing through the now silent hall.

Odysseus smirked, "'Oh no' indeed. Well, now that you are aware of whom I am." He shifted his weight to the right and put his bow in a more comfortable position, readying his body so that he shot a moment's notice. "Let's get on to the fun, yes?"

A couple of the younger suitors shook their heads, as from the sound of Odysseus' menacing voice; the fun would only be enjoyable to Ares. However, the older suitors, recognizing their death sentence stood straight with pride. The shift caused even more guilt to stir in his stomach. He realized that if he killed all the men in here, than he will be repeating what he had done to the Cyclops. Yes, he got honour with his crew and the Phaiakians, but not many other know of his triumph. However, this triumph led to his long winded travel back home. _Two decades, _Odysseus thought sadly. _Two decades I have gone without my wife and child, and I have to leave again. I love to wander, but it comes at a great peril. _He hated himself for gaining the rage of Poseidon, a god no recommended to get angry when traversing the sea home. And if he killed these suitors, Odysseus knew he would have to kill their families.

'_Do what is best.' _The cool feminine voice called out again. _'Make sure they do not forget the name of Odysseus. Get even, but within reason.'_

Get even, but within reason. The words echoed in his mind and he knew what he was going to do. "I, Odysseus, son of Laertes, call forth those that plotted against my son, the thoughtful Telemachos." His strong voice reverberated across the hall, and brooked no argument.

Fifty men in all walked forth, with the rest retreating to the back, no wanting to be near the impending bloodshed. The men that had attempted to kill Telemachos ranged from terrified to defiant, and some not even thinking of anything more than the goat that the suitors had slaughtered for the meal.

Odysseus swept his calculating grey eyes across the men assembled before him and to the crowd a ways behind them. "Today I charge you, the men who plotted my son murder, with the restitution of the stores and cattle from my household as well as the deplorable actions in which you and the others have treated my household staff. I order you all to death by my hand by bow and arrow for the lack of honour and overusing guest right."

His voice boomed of the assembled crowd, causing some to quiver where they stood. The suitors knew that what he was asking for was within his rights. He was alive, and he needed to show that no one could take advantage of him or his household again.

Odysseus saw the suitors steel themselves to their fate. Knowing that it was best not to prolong the action, he struck his great curved bow, feed the arrow and released with perfect aim at the first man. He took an arrow to the throat and fell down, gasping for breath. Two men removed the downed man and laid him carefully to the side.

Odysseus moved quickly, his muscles clenching with the effort to pull the string, and the pile of bodies on the side growing larger and wider as time went on. As he pulled his bow for the final time, he killed the last arrogant young suitor with a musical _twang_. He fell to the ground, his body convulsing in the last throes of death, blood pooling from the wound in his neck until it was all over.

It was done.

Telemachos took the bow from his father, slightly disgusted from seeing all the death. His every breath filled with the coppery scent of blood, which mixed in with the succulent scent wafting from the now cold goat. He stood behind Odysseus, and knew that a weight had been lifted from his father's shoulders. This plan had not been what they had discussed, by Telemachos was happy that there did not have to be such gruesome and unhonourable deaths today. To kill in war was different from slaughtering unarmed men while intoxicated from drink.

"You have witnessed both my mercy and my vengeance." A tired but powerful Odysseus called to the remaining seventy suitors. Many of them were not fairing any better than Telemachos. "Leave this place and tell the families of these who were killed today that they deserved their sentence, and of the vengeful hand in which I will deal with those who do not respect me. You who made me your king, will obey this declaration!"

With his final word, the doors of the hall burst open, revealing one of the men who worked in Odysseus' household. The suitors rushed out of the hall, grabbing their many things and leaving behind all of Odysseus'. They left the hall of Odysseus and made their way back to their homes in the fading light.

Odysseus and Telemachos walked out of the hall as many of the help walked into the hall, dragging out the bodies and laying them one by one so that their families could come to pick them up and give them a proper burial. The father and son, made their way up to Penelope's tower, and met with her and her attendants.

"What is –" Penelope asked before her eyes nearly bulged out of her skull. Running through her mind was: _it couldn't be, could it? _

"Is that how you greet your husband?" Odysseus joked to his beautiful wife, soaking in her details. He knew now what a truly beautiful woman looked like: Kalypso, Circe and Nausikaa were all perfect examples of that. However, the one in front of him was the one that had captured his heart as well as his desire, making her gain a glowing beauty that no other could have.

Penelope smiled coyly, with tears sparkling in her eyes. "Well, maybe I forgot my husband. How about you make me remember?"

Odysseus walked quickly to her and swept her up, kissing her like he remembered doing in his youth. _Oh how I missed this, _he thought as he finally relaxed. _This is my home, not this place or my people or even my son. No, my wife is my home, my center. _

The two broke the kiss as they heard gagging noises coming from behind them. Telemachos was fake barfing into his hands, doing what most children did when they saw their parents having an affectionate moment. He was finally able to do the things he had never been able to do before. He snickered into his palm until Eurykleia hits him on the back of the head.

"Leave your poor parents alone, they have been apart for far too long." The elderly caretaker chides Telemachos, and his shoulders slouch in shame. He had hoped that being over twenty would've stopped her from remonstrating him, but to no avail. "Now, come lad. Let them have some peace."

The two left the room along with Penelope's attendants.

Odysseus and Penelope had not noticed the room clearing, or the closing of the door. Instead they stood enclosed in each other's arms, holding each with whatever they have left; neither wishing to let go for they were to be separated again. Penelope could tell, by looking into her husband's eyes, that he had another journey to leave on, another place to go as he always would. She was proud though, that he had made it home and had wanted home.

"I will have to leave again," Odysseus' voice was filled with sorrow and exhaustion. "I will have to fulfill a prophecy to gain Poseidon's forgiveness."

He went on to tell her of his duty, and Penelope knew that when he went on this new journey, she would never see him again. Trying to soothe her own sadness, she rested a hand on his rough cheek, palm brushing against the stubble. "You have time, my love. Time to stay, at least for a while."

A tear ran down her cheek as she said the last bit, and Odysseus kissed it away."Tonight Love, I will stay with you, and we will forget about tomorrow."

With that said they went to bed; remembering each other and forgetting the time for when they would have to part again.


End file.
